Tanya Oxtoby, the current manager of Northern Ireland Women’s national team, is in advanced discussions to take over as head coach at Newcastle United Women in WSL 2.

Oxtoby, 43, signed a four-year contract with Northern Ireland in 2023, following a diverse managerial and coaching career across club and international women’s football. Her appointment at Newcastle would mark her first return to club management since her time as Bristol City manager from 2018 to 2021.

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Oxtoby’s Managerial and Coaching Background

Oxtoby has a rich coaching resume in both domestic and international football:

• Assistant Coach at Chelsea Women (2012–2023) under Emma Hayes
• Stints as assistant at Scotland Women, Birmingham City, Perth Glory, and Australia U20s
• Began her managerial career at Nottingham Forest in 2012

Her experience at top-level women’s football, including multiple Champions League campaigns with Chelsea, has given her extensive tactical and leadership knowledge that Newcastle hope to harness in their bid for WSL promotion.

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Northern Ireland Tenure

Since taking charge of Northern Ireland in 2023, Oxtoby has overseen mixed results:

• Lost to Norway in the Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs
• Defeated 5-0 on aggregate by Iceland in the Nations League promotion play-offs

Despite these setbacks, Oxtoby has been praised for her ability to develop young talent and improve team structure, making her a highly regarded figure in women’s football management.

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Newcastle United’s Ambitions

Newcastle United Women have been without a head coach since Becky Langley departed on 21 October 2025. Currently ninth in WSL 2, the club has ambitions to climb into the top tier after going fully professional in 2023.

• Finished fifth in WSL 2 in their first fully professional season
• This season, the top two teams gain automatic promotion, while the third-place team faces a play-off against the bottom WSL side

The club sees Oxtoby’s potential appointment as a strategic move to consolidate their progress and push for top-flight football.

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Next Steps

Oxtoby’s discussions with Newcastle are described as “advanced,” with a formal announcement expected once final agreements are reached. Should she accept, she will face the immediate challenge of revitalising the squad and implementing her tactical philosophy ahead of the critical WSL 2 promotion campaign.